Connecticut Trails Day Weekend Coming June 7, 8

Connecticut Trails Day Weekend has 258 events, the most of any state. So now matter where you live, you're probably close to activities that are being held in 142 municipalities on June 7 and 8.

That's impressive for the third smallest state, participating in the 22nd annual National Trails Day.

One of my favorite things to do is leaf through the 100-page booklet in search of new trails to explore. A hike on Tolland's Becker property caught my eye. Then an e-mail from Dorothy Mickiewicz, chairwoman of the Tolland Conservation Commission, inviting me for a pre-hike on the parcel made the decision easy.

I met Mickiewicz and trail-blazing guru Ken Hankinson of the Tolland Conservation Corps at River Park on the banks of the Willimantic River. The Becker parcel is only 29 acres, but much of a milelong trail that winds through it is stunningly beautiful.

The trail travels through deep groves of huge white pines, including a bowl-shaped area, a portion of it possibly a gravel operation from long ago, rimmed by pines with ferns filling the floor.

The highlight of the trip is a portion of the trail that hugs the banks of the Willimantic as it glides peacefully past on its way to merge with the Natchaug to form the Shetucket River. The beauty of the Becker parcel is that it forms a sort of trailhead for hikers to travel south along the picturesque river for several miles. Hikers are connected to Tolland's King Riverside Conservation Area, Coventry's Riverview Park and Mansfield's Merrow Meadow Park and River Park — all along the Willimantic.

"We have the pockets," Mickiewicz said, referring to the conserved parcels along the river. "It's just a matter of connecting them. Becker serves as one of those connections."

"It's small, but the preserve really packs a lot into it. It adds another dimension to the river," Hankinson added.

The Connecticut Forest & Park Association, the coordinator of the Trails Day event, will officially open the "Southern Gateway" to the state's segment of the New England Trail, a 215-mile National Scenic Trail connecting Long Island Sound to the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border along the Mattabesett and Metacomet blue-blazed trail systems.

During a ceremony on June 8, a new 107-foot elevated boardwalk and platform over the dunes of Chittenden Park in Guilford will be opened serving as the southern trailhead, or terminus for those walking south, of the New England Trail. The new segment connects Long Island Sound with the southernmost branch of the Mattabesett Trail in North Guilford.

Events over the two days include hiking, biking, horseback-riding, running, trail maintenance, kayaking, educational walks, bird watching, orienteering and letterboxing. More than 60 events take place on the association's popular 825-mile blue-blazed trail system.

The only downside of the weekend is trying to figure out which of the 258 events to attend. I usually set my sights on one-of-a-kind guided hikes: Bolton's tour of a Revolutionary War camp; a water tour of shipyards and battle sites in Essex; or a trip through Enfield's Scantic River State Park and Powder Hollow, where there are the ruins of what was once one of the country's largest gunpowder factories.

No matter which hike you decide is for you, the important thing is to get outdoors in a state that constantly surprises you with its natural bounty.

The Becker walk will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday at River Park along South River Road. Go to ctwoodlands.org/CT-TrailsDayWeekend2014 to listings for all Connecticut Trails Day events.